Saddle or seat.



Patented Mar. 20, |900.

n. PLATz& A. SPEHLING.

SADDLE on SEAT. (Appucamn med Aug 7, 1899.)

sheets-#sheet l.

v(Nu Model.)

THE Nonms PETERS co. Hom-umu., wAsulNaToNfma Pammdv Mar. 20., |900.

n. PLATZ 0A. SPERLING.

SADDLE 0R SEAT. (App1icmon` med Aug. 7, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 (N0 Model.)

...lili/'111 TM: Nonms Prrzns no. PHOTO-undo.. w-smnnrom n. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ROBERT PLATZ, OE FRIEDENAU, AND ARTHUR SPERLI'G, OE BERLIN, GERMANY.

SADDLE OR SEAT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 645,604, dated March 20, 1900.

Application illed August 7, 1899. Serial No. 726,459. (No model.)

v cine, of Keithstrasse 5,Berlin, Germany, sub- 4jects of the German Emperor, have invented,

certain new and useful Improvements in Saddles or Seats; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains' to make and use the same.

The saddle or seat forming the subject of this invention and which is especially designed for use with cycles, although it can also be used for oiice-seats, boat-seats, riding-saddles, and the like, is distinguished by the fact that it renders impossible any inj urious pressure upon the perineum and the sensitive genitals and coccyx and upon the leg-muscles which rub against the edge of the saddle. The protuberances of the seat of the rider are relieved of weight by reducing t-o a minimum the pressure put upon them from the weight of the rider. The construction of the saddle satisfactorily solves the problem which has been advanced for a considerable time past-that is to say, of providing a saddle which answers to all the requirements of hygiene and offers the rider a durable, satis#v factory, and comfortable seat. Known cyclesaddles possess very markedly the disadvantage that the perineum and the genitals are subjected to a considerable pressure, which becomes unbearable when the saddle is used for some time. This is especially noticeable in the case of the ordinary saddles having a free-bearing leather seat, (socalled English saddles.)

The anatomical construction of the seat is such that the delicate parts ofA the so-called perineum (urinary organs, genitals, and anus) lie undera bony archthe pubic archwhich connects the seat protuberances in an arch-like manner. When a person is seated upon a flat unyielding surface, this bony arch forms a natural protection for the delicate organs lying under it. This natural protection is, however, partially or completely lost when a person sits upon a yielding padded surface or upon anything which is smaller thanthe space between the protuberances-for example, a round rod of a diameter less than nine centimeters. Even in the case of the ordinary saddles with free-bearing leather seats the natural protection of the pubic arch is of no value, as the lateral motion of the riders legs raises the central portion a, Figure 1, of the leather seat and forces it into the space b, designed for. the perineum, whereby pressure must in every case be exerted upon the perineum. In riding upon such a saddle the unpleasant or painful feeling is particularly experienced,arising in the manner above described, when the rider sits upon the narrow peak of the saddle. Similar inconveniences result when riding padded saddles of the kind shownin Fig. 2. In this case the seat protuberances c sink gradually deeper and deeper into the pads, so that the part f 7c of the saddle lying between the pad bulges upward, enters the space designed for the perineum, and exercises pressure upon the delicate organs of the rider. Even the wellknown divided saddle shown in Fig. 3 is in no way free from this disadvantage. The deeper the seat protuberances sink into the pads the more the portions of the saddle which bound the groove enter the space d, bridged over by the pubic arch, andas the groove is bridged over by the tightly-stretched garment g of the rider its object is lost and the saddle which is divided by the groove acts in reality exactly like an undivided saddle-that is to say, it possesses the disadvantages described With reference to Fig.` 2. The groove would only fulfil its object with an uncovered seat, and even then it would have to be widened to prevent the nipping of the genitals.

The protective construction of the pubic arch provided by nature is only fully utilized when the basal points of the arch-the seat protuberances-rest upon a support which does not at any point between these protuberances extend up beyond the horizontal plane connecting them, Fig. 4. This object could be most simply fulfilled by employing a ilat hard seat, as in the case of an ordinary fiatseated wooden stool. This arrangement, however, possesses the disadvantage thatv the seat protuberances are too heavily weighted,

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so that a person cannot` remain seated for any length of `time Without considerable inconvenience.

Now in the saddle or seat forming the subject of this invention the above-described disadvantages are obviated by supporting the seat protuberances upon spring-supports fitted to the saddle-plate, which is made of rigid material, in such a manner that when unweighted they project over the latter in the form of a flattened arc and are pressed downward when loaded with the weight of the riders body. Vhen fully loaded, they reach their lowest position in the plane of the saddleplate, so that even in this case the portion of the saddle between the springs Z does not extend beyond the connecting-line of the fullyloaded springs in their lowermost position at any point. The seat of the rider therefore rests, as in the case of the ideal saddle shown in Fig. t, as though the protuberances were on `a horizontal surface. No diminution of the space under the natural pubic arch cani therefore take place and any pressure upon the delicate organs lyingwithin the arch is rendered impossible. At the same time the seat protuberances rest nponspring-supports. For further relieving the seat protuberances the part of the saddle behind the spring-surfaces designed to receive the broad seat-,mus

. cles is made so as to curve or bulge upward in the backward direction in such a manner that the seat-muscles exactly t therein, are held there, and thus insure the seat protuberances being properlysupported uponthe saddle-springs. This curved hard portion of c the saddle is furthermore provided with a suitable deep notch or the like at the. part where the` coccyx comes to lie, wherebyvthe said coccyx is left perfectly free and is never,

subjected to pressure. Fig. 5 shows. such a peak.

`notches p, the said springs being curved at saddle in plan, part of the saddle-cover being broken away; and Fig. 6 is a sectionalview thereof, taken about on line .fr .n of said Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a front view of the saddle, and Fig. 8 a cross-section taken about online y y of Fig. 5. Fig. 9 is afront view of the saddle with the cover removed.

The saddle orseat consists of a plate h,

(saddle-plate,) of metal or other rigid materia-l, which is advantageously provided at the `rear part with two wing-like parts and a deep notch o for receiving the coccyx and at the sides with notches 19 for the leg-muscles. 1t is formed at the front part with a rounded Flat springs m are placed over the curvature. and lie in the same plane as the part of the` saddle-plate situated between them. The rear part of the saddle-plate consists of two hard supporting-pieces, which are fixed upon the saddle-plate h and the surface of which rises in a backward direction and is hollowed out to correspond to the rear part-s of the riders seat.

The whole of the surface of the saddle, including the raised springs, is provided with asuitable cover s, of leather or the like, which hangs freely at the sides over the semicircular notches p, whereby a soft and smooth surface is obtained for the leg-muscles which rub against the saddle. The notch o between the two rear parts n of the saddle serves to receive the coccyx.

What weclaim as our invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A seat comprising a-.seat-plate and flat arched springs mounted thereon to form bearings for the seat protuberances of a person, and so that said springs `cannot bedepressed below the upper face of the plate by the load imposed thereon and a suitable seat-cover, for the purpose Vset forth.

2. A seat comprisingaseat-plate recessed centrally and longitudinally from:` its rear -toward its forward Send, `and arched leaf- .springsimuounted on and diverging from the forward end of said plate so as to forni` bearings for the seat protuberances offa person and a suitable seat-cover, fortliepurpose set forth.

3. A seat. comprising `a seat-plate divided bya longitudinal recess and of reduced diameter toward its forward end., and provided with recesses p, in combination withyflat arched springs connected to ,the forward end of theplate and extending over said recesses, and seat-blocks at the'rear end ofthe plate one on either side of theaforesaid longitudinal recess, saidb'locks sloping towardthe forward end of the plate, substantially as and for thepur-pose set forth.

4. Aseat comprising aseat-plate wider at its rear end than at its forward end, and provided with a =recessp in itsfopp'ositel edges, the rear wider portionof the plate constructed to form divergingwingszwith a depression or recess between them, forwardly-sloping nonelastic seat-blocks secured to said wings, and arched flat springs extending rearwardly from the forward end of the plate on opposite sides and partly bridging the aforesaidV recesses and a suitable seat-cover, for the purpose set forth.

In testimony whereof we afx our signin tures in presence of twowitnesses.

ROBERT PLATZ. ARTHUR SPERLING.

Vitnesses HENRY HAsPER, WOLDEMAR HAUPT.

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